Metrics details. About two million children live on the streets in Pakistan. Their complicated past and dire living conditions make them susceptible to many psychological and physical problems, including sexual abuse.
With commercial sex a common practice among the street children, public places such as bus terminals and parks have become foci of prostitution and sexual exploitation. The generally apathetic attitude of the society towards this issue and the affected children, combined with a lack of commitment and limited resource allocation by the government, has contributed in deteriorating the situation further.
A comprehensive multi-pronged strategy involving government, societal and international stakeholders is crucial to tackle the current crisis. It is estimated that around two million children live on the streets in Pakistan. Usually, these children experience complex dire circumstances during both pre- and post-homelessness periods [ 1 ]. This makes them highly vulnerable to an array of psychological and physical issues, particularly sexual abuse.
The prevalence of sexual abuse among street children is distressingly high worldwide. Importantly, the patterns of survival sex, including multiple partners and unprotected intercourse, in Pakistan are strikingly similar to those seen globally, with studies from Africa, Eastern Europe and South Asia showing similar findings [ 2 , 3 ].
Unfortunately, until recently, despite the scale of the crisis, it has received minimal government attention and interventions to alleviate the situation are lacking.
